Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-09-09

tlOnM Despatch line, have issued Joint
freight rates from Boston to Detroit at 81 =,
As, 80, "a, 20 and 1S cents respectively for
the six classes of freight, and TO Montreal
at 40, 40, 30, %, 20 and Is cents respec-
lively, while the first four roads named
charge for carrying freight from Boston to
st. Adams, "a station on the Central Yer
mont road a less distance from Boston than
either Detroit or Montreal, in the same di-
rection, over the same line, co. 80, 40, "a,
"a and II cents per hundred respectively
for the six classes Of freight. The griev-
ance of the Boston & Albany company is
that the combination known as the Nation
al Despatch line makes lower rates to west
ern points than those of the Boston & Al
bany and its connecting roads, while at
the same time a part of the roads in the
combination
Maintain higher rates to st. Albans and
other intermediate points-that is, higher
rates for the short haul than for the long
haul on the same line in the same
direction whereas, if the rates to De-
troit and other western points were
Nilt hdintY nO higher anu no
lower, than to any intermediate point on
the same line in the same direction, your
petitioner the Boston & Albany company
would have no cause to complain"
Second, there was the complaint of the
Boston K Albany company against the
Central Vermont and Ogdensburg & Lake
ChamplaiA railroad companies and the Cen.
trial Vermont line of steamers across the
great lakes to Cleveland, Detroit, Port HUI.
ron, Milwaukee and Chicago, alleging the
same kind of discrimination over their land
and water line-the rate for the six classe,
Of freightto Cleveland, Detroit and Port HUI.
ron being Al ,..3G, 20, 20, II and "A cents re
spectively, and to Milwaukee and Chicago A
80, 81, 3d. 10 and 10 cents respectively, Will,
the rate to Ogdensburg, point ON the sam,
line less distance from Boston and in tn,
same direction, is 60. 30, 40, 80, % and 1,
cents respectively.
Third, there was the complaint of tn,
Vermont State Grange against the Contra
Vermont company alleging the discrimina
ton already spoken of in freight rates t.
St Adams and many other points in Yer
mont.
Judge Cooley, the chairman of the com
mission, stated at the outset that it woul,
be unnecessary to present evidence to prov,
any facts as to freight rates which wer,
already matters of record in the office o
the commission at Washington, the law re
quiring all tariff schedules to be filed witt
the commission, and these schedules beinl
proof in themselves of the facts claimed
The first witness called by the complain
ants was Mr. John Porteous, the genera
manager of the National Despatch line All,
through traffic manager of the Contra
Vermont. He testified that the Nationa
Despatch is not corporation but an asso
citation of lines, using 1850 cars, 5000 o
which belong to the National car company
doing through business only, and payin,
the railroads over which the cars run on
mileage basis. The general offices are a
Boston, Chicago and St Adams. Mr.. Por
teous fixes the rates consulting the initia
roads after the trunk lines have fixed theil
percentages. The rates from Boston t,
western points, via st. Adams, Ogdensbur,
and the Central Vermont line of steamers
are fixed by the agent of that line. In re
ply to Senator Edmunds he said that the
rate from Detroit TO Boston is 6St cents, OF
which the Grand Trunk has "a per cent
the Central Vermont So per cent of tn,
balance, and the Concord, Northern anc
Boston < Lowell roads the remainder. The
steamship company gets 40 per cent ON Chi
cago through freight and is allowed 40 cent
per ton for dockage and agents expenses
The National Despatch issues a tariff fol
points beyond st. Adams only. After tax
ing out salaries and car expenses, the earn
ings are divided among the railroads in tn,
line according to their mileage. The Ma
tional Despatch line is allowed differen
tial in rates over the other lines in tn
trunk line pool because of heavier grade
and the roads running through NOR
northern climate. In answer to a question
from one of the commissioners Mr.. Porte
Gus said that the National Despatch lin
billed no goods from Boston to points il
Vermont its business being entirely
through business. 1t did, however, bill
goods from the West to points in Vermont
Mr. Chas. S, Mellen, general superintend
ent of the Boston & Lowell railroad, wa
the next witness called The main poin
established by his testimony was that tn
National Despatch line is not an organiza
ton, or a company or association, but sim
ply name. The Boston & Lowell compa
ny has no written agreement with the line
In reply to question from Senator Ed
munds Mr.. Mellen said that the roads owe
Which the National Despatch cars run max
their settlements with the Central Vermont
which road controls the line. Being asked
if the Boston & Lowell was always satisiie,
with its allowance, he replied that it wa
not, and he had made complaint. Beinl
asked TO whom, he said the Central Yer
mont
The complainants rested their case on tn
evidence of these two witnesses and the de
fence called Mr.. f. G. Lucas, the audto
Of the Central Vermont, who read list q
figures showing the dependency of the Cen
tral Vermont and Ogdensburg and LAX
Champlain roads on their through freigh
business. f. A. Chittenden, the genera
freight agent of the Central Vermont road
submitted tables of comparisons shown,
that the rates of the Central Vermont wer
not higher than those Of numerous western
lines which We're quoted.
ET-GOV. Smiths TesIimOny.
Elk Gov, Smith, president of the Centru
Vermont railroad company, was the mex
witness called by the defence. Gov. SmitI
gave the early history of the company Tn
property of the corporation, he said coul
not be replaced for less than fifteen o
twenty millions of dollars The road ha
never paid any thing outside Of its actua
expenses other than its taxes and interes
ON its bonds The Vermont and Canada
the Central Vermont proper, and the Og
densburg road, were completed in 1851
and made IA through line from Boston il
connection with the line of steamers an,
the Lowell road to chief western points
In 1864 AN all-rail line was established from
Boston TO western points by these roads
and the Grand Trunk, Michigan Central
and Lake Shore roads The National De
spatch line grew out of the relation Of
these roads 10 each other This fast freight
line has no regular organization with a
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